Passports and Travel Insurance

Passports and your COVID-19 vaccination card are the two most important documents to bring on every trip. However, the COVID-19 vaccination card has become less critical in most countries. You should also consider buying travel insurance (see the Travel Insurance paragraph below or visit our Travel Insurance for Seniors Post).

Passports and Travel Documents –

Passports are the most important documents that you are carrying when you travel, don’t lose them. Every traveler needs a passport, even an infant. The expiration date on the passport is very important. If your expiration date is less than six months in the future, you likely will be denied entry. 

Renewing your Passports

Unless you are willing to pay for expedited service, you need to renew your passport in a timely manner. The government suggests renewing your passport nine months before the expiration date. We are currently reviewing companies that can help you renew your passport or obtain a visa.  We will make a suggestion shortly.

Renewing Your Passport Online

The U.S. State Department officially launched the online passport renewal system on September 18, 2024. This new system allows eligible U.S. citizens to renew their passports online, making the process more convenient and efficient.  People who have already used this system say that it works fine and speeds up the time to get a new paaport.

Renewing your passport online is a convenient option if you meet certain eligibility criteria. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

1. Check Eligibility: Ensure you meet the requirements for online renewal. Generally, your passport must be valid for 10 years, issued within the last 15 years, and you must be at least 25 years old.

2. Create an Account: Go to the official passport renewal website (e.g., WWW.USA.Gov for the U.S.) and create an account.

3. Start Your Application: Log in to your account and start the renewal application. You’ll need to provide information about your current passport and upload a digital photo.  The standards for the picture are fairly strict, so it is best to get an official passport photograph. 

4. Enter Payment Information: Complete the application and pay the renewal fee using a credit or debit card.

5. Submit Your Application: Once submitted, your current passport will be canceled, and you’ll receive your new passport by mail within the standard processing time (usually 6-8 weeks).

We are making three international trips this year, and Cos’s passport expires at the end of 2025.  So, we need to squeeze the application process in between our first and second trips.  Once we do that, we also need to update our Global Entry information to record the new passport number.  We’ll report before our second trip if we were successful.  

Passports – Global Entry Service

A service that Robin and Cos have found to be very helpful is Global Entry. This service allows you to skip most long queues in custom areas when reentering the United States. There is a fee that is currently $100, and enrollment requires an in-person interview process. Many of the more expensive credit cards, such as the American Express Platinum Card (see americanexpress.com) offer to reimburse the fee. Included in the application is enrollment also in the pre-TSA program.

Travel Insurance –

Travel Insurance is aimed primarily at international travel. However, it is also offered for some domestic travel. There are three main types of travel insurance: trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, medical expense coverage, and emergency medical evacuation coverage. Most airlines and cruise lines will try to sell you travel insurance at the time of booking. It can be expensive and confusing as to what you are actually getting, so if you are planning to buy it, make sure you read the fine print.

Robin and Cos have an inexpensive emergency medical evacuation plan and have some international medical expense coverage through their Medicare supplemental program. Generally speaking, they do not normally buy trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage as they find the cost often not worth it and often claims can be easily denied. The emergency medical evacuation plan that they have is through Emergency Assistance Plus. This plan does not provide medical expense insurance.

For more detailed information about Travel Insurance and the best way to purchase it, please see our Post: Travel Insurance for Seniors. To compare Travel Insurance policies visit one of our two recommend Travel Insurance Partners: Insure My Trip or Square Mouth.

Other Important Documents

Other important documents that you carry are your credit cards, driver’s license, prescription lists and recently, as a result of Covid-19, your vaccine cards. Robin and Cos have found that keeping copies, both digital and physical hard-copy copies of your passport and other critical documents, credit cards, licenses, vaccine cards, etc. is critical.

Other Travel Planning Assistance

If you need additional travel planning assistance, here are some other posts you might wish to visit:

• Planning a Trip – This post will introduce you to the DIY planning process.
• Luggage and Packing – This post will offer you packing lists.
• Budget Strategies – This post will help you set a travel budget.
• When to Use a Travel Agent – This post will help you decide if you need a travel agent.
• Planning Tools/Spreadsheet – This post will discuss planning tools and point you to a travel planner.
• Travel Resources – This post will provide you with access to many travel resources.